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Monsignor John Caulfield, who led St. Joseph's Catholic Church for 27 years, died Sunday afternoon of lung cancer at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, said Frank O'Reilly, a close friend. Caulfield was 78.

"We're gonna miss him," O'Reilly said. "You look around at your life and you might think, 'well what have I done?' I don't think he has to worry about that one bit. He left a great legacy."

Caulfield, a native of County Galway, in west Ireland, was ordained there on May 31, 1959, and soon came to Florida with five other priests. All were part of a steady stream of Irish priests recruited by Archbishop Joseph Hurley of what was then the Archdiocese of St. Augustine.

O'Reilly, 78, remembers when Caulfield took over pastor duties at St. Joseph's, on 210 W. Lemon St.

"He just won the hearts of everyone so quickly," O'Reilly said. "There was no one who met Father Caulfield who didn't love him. I honestly never heard him say a bad word about anyone. He was down to earth; he was down there with all the people in the community. He treated all of them equally."

In May 2008, Caulfield was one of two Catholic priests from Polk, and one of six from the Diocese of Orlando to be given the honorary title of Monsignor by Pope Benedict XVI. Although the move conveyed no additional duties to him, it was considered a huge accomplishment and honor.

"It's a very special moment. From where I am, I don't like honors other than being a priest," Caulfield told The Ledger at the time. "But the bishop said, 'When the pope wants to present an honor to you, you don't refuse.' I'm humbled by the honor and grateful to the bishop."

The loss was felt around the diocese the covers Central Florida.

"Please pray for the repose of the soul of Monsignor John Caulfield, pastor emeritus of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lakeland," Bishop John Noonan, of the Diocese of Orlando, said Sunday on Twitter. "Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him."

Caulfield's celebrated time spent leading St. Joseph's culminated in a retirement dinner at The Lakeland Center in January 2012 that attended by more than 800 guests, including relatives and friends from his native Ireland.

"This is it," Caulfield said at the event. "There's nothing more. I want you to know from the bottom of my heart how blessed I've been in the priesthood and as part of St. Joseph's."

Sheriff Grady Judd, who is a Baptist, made Caulfield an honorary deputy at the event and said Sunday that the priest wasn't so truthful about being done serving Lakeland.

"You wouldn't have known he was retired if you judged it by seeing him less often in the community," Judd said. "He retired but he never really retired."

At one point in the retirement dinner, a speaker asked the audience to stand if Caulfield had touched an aspect of their lives. Almost all 800 people in the room rose to their feet.

Judd, who knew Caulfield for more than 40 years, said it didn't matter what religion or church you hailed from when he was volunteering his time or socializing. Caulfield was an active supporter of Talbot House, which is a Lakeland homeless shelter, and of PEACE, an interracial and interdenominational organization that works for community improvement.

"His energy and charisma and personality would just light up the room," Judd said. "We always believed that even though he was from Ireland, this was his home."

Whether sharing a joke told in his signature Irish brogue, or a game of golf, the sport he loved with passion, Caulfield always found a reason to laugh.

"He always seemed to be where people needed him the most," Judd said. "God maybe made a man as good as Monsignor Caulfield but I don't think he's made one better."

[ Miles Parks can be reached at miles.parks@theledger.com or 863-802-7516. ]

<p>LAKELAND | The city lost a beloved longtime pastor from Polk County's oldest Catholic church Sunday, as well as a staple in the city's downtown community.</p><p>Monsignor John Caulfield, who led St. Joseph's Catholic Church for 27 years, died Sunday afternoon of lung cancer at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, said Frank O'Reilly, a close friend. Caulfield was 78.</p><p>"We're gonna miss him," O'Reilly said. "You look around at your life and you might think, 'well what have I done?' I don't think he has to worry about that one bit. He left a great legacy."</p><p>Caulfield, a native of County Galway, in west Ireland, was ordained there on May 31, 1959, and soon came to Florida with five other priests. All were part of a steady stream of Irish priests recruited by Archbishop Joseph Hurley of what was then the Archdiocese of St. Augustine.</p><p>O'Reilly, 78, remembers when Caulfield took over pastor duties at St. Joseph's, on 210 W. Lemon St.</p><p>"He just won the hearts of everyone so quickly," O'Reilly said. "There was no one who met Father Caulfield who didn't love him. I honestly never heard him say a bad word about anyone. He was down to earth; he was down there with all the people in the community. He treated all of them equally."</p><p>In May 2008, Caulfield was one of two Catholic priests from Polk, and one of six from the Diocese of Orlando to be given the honorary title of Monsignor by Pope Benedict XVI. Although the move conveyed no additional duties to him, it was considered a huge accomplishment and honor.</p><p>"It's a very special moment. From where I am, I don't like honors other than being a priest," Caulfield told The Ledger at the time. "But the bishop said, 'When the pope wants to present an honor to you, you don't refuse.' I'm humbled by the honor and grateful to the bishop."</p><p>The loss was felt around the diocese the covers Central Florida.</p><p>"Please pray for the repose of the soul of Monsignor John Caulfield, pastor emeritus of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lakeland," Bishop John Noonan, of the Diocese of Orlando, said Sunday on Twitter. "Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him."</p><p>Caulfield's celebrated time spent leading St. Joseph's culminated in a retirement dinner at The Lakeland Center in January 2012 that attended by more than 800 guests, including relatives and friends from his native Ireland.</p><p>"This is it," Caulfield said at the event. "There's nothing more. I want you to know from the bottom of my heart how blessed I've been in the priesthood and as part of St. Joseph's."</p><p>Sheriff Grady Judd, who is a Baptist, made Caulfield an honorary deputy at the event and said Sunday that the priest wasn't so truthful about being done serving Lakeland.</p><p>"You wouldn't have known he was retired if you judged it by seeing him less often in the community," Judd said. "He retired but he never really retired."</p><p>At one point in the retirement dinner, a speaker asked the audience to stand if Caulfield had touched an aspect of their lives. Almost all 800 people in the room rose to their feet.</p><p>Judd, who knew Caulfield for more than 40 years, said it didn't matter what religion or church you hailed from when he was volunteering his time or socializing. Caulfield was an active supporter of Talbot House, which is a Lakeland homeless shelter, and of PEACE, an interracial and interdenominational organization that works for community improvement.</p><p>"His energy and charisma and personality would just light up the room," Judd said. "We always believed that even though he was from Ireland, this was his home."</p><p>Whether sharing a joke told in his signature Irish brogue, or a game of golf, the sport he loved with passion, Caulfield always found a reason to laugh.</p><p>"He always seemed to be where people needed him the most," Judd said. "God maybe made a man as good as Monsignor Caulfield but I don't think he's made one better."</p><p> </p><p>[ Miles Parks can be reached at miles.parks@theledger.com or 863-802-7516. ]</p>